


Star Wars: Balance Restored

by Soupe



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Complete, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, I did a lot of research here y'all, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, Rey Nobody, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Stormtrooper Rebellion, a lot of wookiepedia tabs were open at all times, ben solo's good boy sweater, but needs a lot of editing and rewriting y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21997522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soupe/pseuds/Soupe
Summary: The Resistance rebuilds. After the tragedies at D’Qar and Crait, Rey and her fellow Resistance fighters are sent to recruit allies against the First Order. But the new Supreme Leader Kylo Ren is putting his regime's vast resources toward tracking down the fledgling Jedi to snuff out the flame of hope they've sparked throughout the galaxy. As unrest grows within the ranks of the First Order and the Resistance gain strength as they outwit and outrun them at every turn, allegiances will be made and broken.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	1. Recruit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Episode IX fix-it fic in which I essentially rewrite the entire movie as it could have been.
> 
> I'm kind of terrified to be posting this, but I know the worst thing that could happen is people might actually like it and I'll have to finish it. I have the broad strokes planned out, but I'm notoriously bad at finishing things. At the very least, it's a good exercise for me to get something positive out of The Rise of Skywalker.
> 
> I plan to have weekly updates, so feel free to hold me to that!

Across the galaxy, stories of the Resistance and the Jedi have been spreading slowly but surely, thanks in part to some of the Resistance’s finest rebels: Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewie, and BB-8. For the past four months, the Resistance has been recruiting allies in the battle against the First Order, finding planets and people at unrest under the thumb of totalitarianism.

And Kylo Ren was following them.

Or rather, he was following Rey. Even if she couldn’t feel him through the Force, he wasn’t being subtle. Every system they flew to, every planet they touched down on, every city they walked through, he followed. Despite his constant presence like a shadow on their heels, none of their newfound allies, satellite Resistance bases, or underground spy networks had been compromised.

Knowing his obsessive and vengeful tendencies, Rey had a suspicion that his actions had more to do with her than the Resistance itself. She had only connected with him through the Force a handful of times since the Battle of Crait, having tried her best to block him out. She knew how dangerous it was to be close with him. As much as she recognized the vulnerability in his eyes, she also knew how those eyes could harden into blind rage. She didn’t want to waste her time trying to turn him to the light. It seemed inevitable that they would remain on opposite sides of this war.

The first time she connected with him again was on Pasaana. As luck would have it, they arrived on the desert planet during the Festival of the Ancestors. With plenty of other off-worlders present for the festivities, they didn’t stand out too much in the crowds. While Rose and BB-8 stayed on the Falcon and Rey and Chewie patrolled the perimeter to keep an eye out for trouble, Finn and Poe met with Resistance sympathizers at a local watering hole.

On her way through the vibrant town, Rey encountered an Aki-Aki child offering her a handcrafted, beaded necklace. Smiling in thanks, Rey placed it around her neck.

“What is your name?” the child asked in the local dialect.

Crouching down to the child’s level, she responded with a smile, “I’m Rey.”

“And what is your family name?”

Rey’s face slowly fell. “I don’t have one,” she said, shaking her head. She tried smiling again, but it felt forced. “I’m just Rey.”

The child smiled at her, unaware of how her questions had struck Rey. Before she could ask her name in return, the child ran off, rejoining her friends in the celebration.

As she stood, Kylo Ren suddenly came into her vision and the sounds of her surroundings stopped. Staring at him for the first time in months, Rey was startled. His tall, dark frame stood out from the colourful crowds around him. His eyes widened at first, but he soon closed off his expression. He looked down at the necklace hanging around her neck and quirked his head slightly.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” She could almost feel the distinctive timbre of his voice vibrating through her head.

Rey’s anger burst forth suddenly and intensely. As if he had a right to her attention, to her presence after everything he had done to her friends on Crait, she thought. He could have ended this war with her in the throne room on the Supremacy, but he chose the wrong path.

“I have nothing to say to you,” she spat at him fiercely.

He advanced on her, backing her up against the wall of the nearest building. “You can’t outrun me forever, scavenger.” His hand suddenly snatched at her neck, ripping the necklace off her.

All at once sound came back into her ears and the connection was severed, leaving Rey breathless and clutching her neck.

She ran back to the bar to warn Finn, Poe and Chewie, who were all waiting for her outside the bar. She was sure that with that necklace he could track them. And she had no doubt that he would.

As they ran through the colourful city, Poe explained how their meeting went. “We got everything sorted. Best of all, we got ourselves a couple First Order moles here,” he said with contained excitement.

They ducked and dived their way through the celebrations, jumping between people dancing, eating, and laughing, all while avoiding the Troopers. They were sure a wanted message would have gone out to the local First Order base by now. But Chewie’s stature was not to their benefit. He was quickly apprehended by Stormtroopers, his blaster and crossbow confiscated as they manacled his arms behind his back. Rey, Finn, and Poe watched in anger as he was marched through the streets to the First Order station.

“What do we do?” Finn asked hurriedly.

Poe pulled out his electrobinoculars and scanned the distance. He saw that they were leading Chewie to a group of nearby landspeeders. “They’re headed to those speeders, probably to transport him to the nearest First Order base. We can stop them on their way.”

Rey spun to scan her surroundings, searching for a quick getaway. She spotted a desert skiff. “There!” she called to her friends, pointing out the vehicle.

They ran for it, looking around discreetly for the owner, but no one seemed to notice them. Poe popped open the side panel and got to work. Cutting a few wires and catching them against each other, the ignition started. They immediately jumped on to chase down Chewie’s captors.

Racing past the locals, they spotted Chewie and the Stormtroopers charging on a speeder over the sand into a less populated, open area. With the element of surprise, Rey and Finn fired on the Troopers. One flew off the speeder, catching the ground hard and rolling into the distance. The second turned, firing back at them. Poe swerved the skiff, evading the oncoming fire, as Finn’s shot caught the Stormtrooper in the leg, leaving only the speeder’s pilot. The Trooper half-turned, one hand on the controls and the other on their blaster. Chewie made the final blow, shoulder-checking the trooper off the speeder. Poe slowed the skiff to a stop and Rey and Finn ran to retrieve Chewie. Using the Force, Rey freed Chewie’s arms from the restraints.

“Way to go, big guy!” Finn commended him, patting him on the arm. Chewie called out happily, patting Finn on the back in return and nearly knocking him off his feet.

Rey felt Kylo’s presence in the Force again. He was nearby and they had little time to get back to the Millennium Falcon. Jumping back on the skiff, they sped back toward the hidden crest where Rose and BB-8 were waiting on their ship.

Seeing the First Order cruisers appear in the sky from hyperspace, Finn’s eyes widened. He quickly pulled out his commlink. “Rose! Start up the engines! We gotta go!”

“Ready when you are!” she responded.

Just then, another speeder of Stormtroopers pulled up behind them and started firing. Ducking down, Finn commed her again. “Uh, we made need you to come to us, Rose!”

“Always needing me to save you,” she teased, “I’m on my way!”

As Rey and Finn returned fire, the Millennium Falcon came over the ridge and into view, distracting the Troopers. They took their final shots and the speeder exploded in the sand. Halting the skiff, Rey, Finn, and Poe jumped out and ran for the Falcon, jumping up the ramp and directly into the cockpit. Poe gave BB-8 an affectionate pat on the head as he passed. Rey took over for Rose in the pilot’s seat with Chewie taking his place as co-pilot.

“How did it go down there?” Rose asked.

“It was close, but we got it done,” Rey responded with a breathless smile. As she flew her beloved ship out of Pasaana and back to the new Resistance base on Ajan Kloss, her smile slowly fell. Hard as she tried, Rey knew she couldn’t outrun Kylo Ren forever.

* * *

The last time she connected with Kylo Ren, it was on the frigid mountains of Kijimi. There, Poe, Finn, and Rey met with Zorii Bliss, an old friend of Poe’s who turned to smuggling and spice-running as a means to survive the First Order’s austere regime. In her Thieves’ Quarters, Poe squared off with Zorii across the small table, negotiating their terms.

“C’mon, Zorii! Cut us a break.”

“Those are our terms, Poe. Take it or leave it,” she replied simply with an easygoing smile. Her ever-present helmet was off her head for once, sitting on the bench seat beside her.

“You can’t expect the Resistance to be able to secure those kinds of supplies on such short notice.” Poe was clearly frustrated.

“How else do you expect us to maintain our network? These connections come at a cost, Poe,” she tried to reason with him. “We’re willing to help, but not everyone are bleeding hearts like us,” she added with a sarcastic smile.

Poe sighed in exasperation. Leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms, he looked to Finn beside him. Finn was learning forward with his hands clasped on the table. Through the small window in the top corner of the room, the distant marching of Snowtroopers could be heard outside.

“If we get you those supplies, then you get more First Order moles in your spy network.”

“Do you know how difficult, not to mention dangerous that would to be?” Zorii asked incredulously.

“Getting rid of the First Order comes at a cost. We need people on the inside. And we need your resources and connections to make that happen.”

Zorii still looked uncertain.

“It’s that or you and everyone else continue to live in fear of the First Order,” Finn said, tilting his head toward the window where the Snowtroopers orders and the desperate pleas of citizens could be heard closer than before.

Poe looked to Zorii, eyebrows raised. She tilted her chin up and crossed her arms as she glanced between the two of them. She sighed, knowing she really needed those supplies. Extending her hand, she said “We have a deal.”

Poe griped her hand. “Thank you, Zorii,” he said sincerely.

“You should keep him around.” She says to Poe with a smile, nodding her chin at Finn.

“Oh, I plan to.” Poe and Finn exchanged knowing smiles.

* * *

The snowfall started in earnest just as they were leaving the Thieves’ Quarters and the patrols were closer than before. They quickly pressed themselves into the shadows while Rey peaked around the corner. Unit after unit of Snowtroopers marched through the streets, stopping seemingly indiscriminately at doors—demanding entrance, searching properties, arresting civilians.

“Identify yourselves!” a voice called from behind them.

Turning around, the group realized they were cornered. Three Stormtrooper stood behind them with their blasters aimed at each them. The one in the middle raised their wrist to their helmet mouthpiece.

“RS-2459 to base. We have identified Resistance rebels in Sector Eight.”

Before the troopers could march them into the light of the street, Rey raised her hand.

“You will drop your blasters and return to your base,” she said with intention.

The troopers did as she commanded; dropping their weapons, they did an about-face, and exited the alleyway.

“That never gets old,” Poe said, impressed.

Rey knew there would be plenty more Troopers to contend with if they were going to get off this planet. “Let’s go,” she whispered to her friends, leading them slowly out of the alleyway and down the steps embedded in the snowy hills of the city.

“Halt!” a Stormtrooper called after them. They immediately broke into a run, skidding through the wet snow. Shots fired from behind them as they ran under archways and around corners. They managed to evade them, hiding away behind a retaining wall.

All the sound left her surroundings as Rey felt him again. Kylo Ren.

“I hear you’re on Kijimi,” he said simply.

“Not now!” she ground out through clenched teeth, looking around her to ensure the Troopers didn’t get too close.

“That's fine. I’ll see you in person soon enough.”

She stared at him then. He was fully dressed in his standard black robes, cape and all. Clearly, the local First Order base informed the Supreme Leader of their presence and he’s on his way. She knew he must have warrants out for each of them.

Just then, Rey heard the First Order ships enter Kijimi’s atmosphere from hyperspace. He must have been close to get here so soon. Too close.

When she looked back at him, there was a small smirk on his face as if he read her thoughts.

“Not this time, Kylo Ren,” she said definitively. She broke off their connection, not needing his presence as a distraction. She needed to ensure her friends made it to the Falcon safely.

She came back to her surroundings as Poe whispered urgently in her ear and shook her shoulder. “Rey! It’s now or never!”

While she was distracted by Kylo Ren, Finn had commed Rose and Chewie to bring the Falcon away from the active patrols. She jumped to her feet with Poe and Finn, sliding down the nearest hill toward the valley where Rose and Chewie waited.

Suddenly, a patrol ship careened up behind them as they ran through the wet snow. Pulling her hood back enough so she had a clean line of site, Rey grabbed her blaster and fired at the ship, Finn and Poe following suit. They evaded the Troopers’ fire as best they could until the Millennium Falcon came into view. As they raced forward, avoiding enemy fire, the ramp lowered. The patrol ship shifted its aim to the Falcon, but the three of them ran aboard just before the patrol ship could get within range. Rey ran to the cockpit as Chewie lifted off.

She knew this is only the beginning and that she would have to face Kylo Ren soon enough. She was on borrowed time, but the Resistance needed to rebuild and strengthen its numbers before Kylo Ren and the First Order could be defeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Twitter: [@souppeh](https://twitter.com/souppeh)  
> Tumblr: [souppeh.tumblr.com](https://souppeh.tumblr.com)


	2. Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a little early because I can't bring myself to re-read this again.  
> Hopefully this is good and the character stuff isn't progressing too quickly. I'm a little unsure if the fight scene works, but oh well.

Landing in the rolling fields of Kef Bir, Rey couldn’t help but be taken aback by the strange beauty of Endor’s ocean moon—the pale grass, dark sand, and cold blue of the water. Water that held the remnants of the Death Star II, an imposing skeleton of a power that once threatened the galaxy. It felt like an oddly full-circle moment, to be recruiting Resistance fighters from a place with the legacy of the old Empire embedded in its landscape.

A legacy that now lived in the First Order. But one that she was determined the Resistance could overpower with enough help. They had secured allies throughout the Expansion Region and Mid Rim, with underground Resistance bases, a robust spy network, and countless First Order informants. And now, Rey and her friends were on Kef Bir based on intelligence that a company of mutinied Stormtroopers had formed a base here.

As optimistic as Rey was about forging this alliance, a bad feeling sank into the pit of her stomach at the site of the Death Star II.

With the ramp lowered, Rey and her band of Resistance friends exited the Millennium Falcon. They were greeted by a cavalry on orbaks, wearing handmade and repurposed armour. Rey noted with interest what equipment and natural resources they must have scavenged and secured to craft these pieces.

“You must be Jannah,” Poe called out to the presumed leader in front. They had been in contact with the former Troopers already, ensuring a smooth integration into the Resistance.

“And you must be Commander Dameron,” she replied. Jannah slid off her orbak and approached the group with a small gap-toothed smile. Shaking hands with her, Poe introduced the rest of them.

“Let’s get to business, then,” he said, clapping his hands together.

Finn, Chewie, and Rose unloaded the Falcon’s supplies for their new allies. Medpacs, blasters, ammunition, tools, equipment; anything the Resistance could provide to support a new Resistance division, fledgling or otherwise.

Rey looked out over the ocean waves again, at the violent tides that crashed against the coast and the decrepit remains of the Empire. Rey’s thoughts turned toward the current regime that had taken over the galaxy, and the man in charge of it. She did her best to block him out—from her own thoughts and from their Force connection—but things slipped through the cracks sometimes. She was so certain at one point that she could turn him, lead him back to the light. But his own ambition and certainty wouldn’t allow it. Rey had almost lost all hope for him, but something inside her still longed for Ben Solo to return. She shut those thoughts away, knowing that Kylo Ren refused to change. He'd proven that well enough on Crait and now by following her through the galaxy.

Casting her thoughts away from the First Order’s Supreme Leader, she overheard the conversation between Finn and Jannah.

“You were a Stormtrooper?” Finn asked with surprise in his voice. After all this time, he had yet to come across another deserter. It didn’t occur to him that there could be more out there, like him.

“All of us here were. Company 77. We were ordered to shoot at civilians on Ansett Island. But we refused, we laid down our weapons.”

“What, all of you?”

“The whole company. I don’t know how to describe it. Despite all the First Order training, we knew it was wrong. We couldn’t do it. There was this feeling…”

“I know what you mean,” Finn replied, “I’ve been getting a few feelings like that lately.”

Before Rey could ask Finn what he meant, she felt Kylo Ren’s presence through the Force. He had to be close. They’d barely been on Kef Bir for thirty minutes and he was already onto them. Rey was fed up with the chase. She refused to run from him—from her failure to change him—any longer. Looking at her newly repaired lightsaber, she knew what she had to do.

* * *

In his quarters aboard the First Order flagship Finalizer, Kylo Ren carefully lifted Darth Vader’s half-melted helmet from its preservative case. His own helmet was still in pieces, a reminder of his foolishness in thinking he was at all Darth Vader’s equal. Thinking he was anything but a child in a mask simply playing at being a Sith Lord, just as Snoke had told him.

His gloved hands were steady, but inside he was unstable. Yearning for guidance once more, he reached out to his grandfather. Without Snoke, Kylo Ren’s mind was empty of outside influence for the first time since he could remember. He had given everything he had to the Dark Side, to Snoke. But now the only voice speaking to him was his own. And he didn’t know what to think.

He continued to reach out, hoping for guidance. For anything. But there was nothing. No signs from Vader in the Force.

Kylo Ren was alone.

Except for Rey, a constant light in the darkness of his mind. Without the smothering influence of the Dark, her presence shined even brighter. He sensed her now through the Force as his Star Destroyer sped toward Kef Bir, following her. Like a moth to the flame.

Gazing down at the helmet of his grandfather, Kylo Ren fortified his mind against her light. It was too bright, and he couldn’t bear to see how it cast his actions into sharp relief. His descent to the Dark, all the deaths he was responsible for, the many more he stood by and watched. And the one he felt most guilty for… the one that split his soul.

As the Finalizer exited hyperspace and entered Kef Bir’s atmosphere, he steeled his resolve. He was Supreme Leader and he had the power now. No one else could control him. He would find Rey—the scavenger, the would-be Jedi—and he would convince her once and for all to join him. And if he couldn’t convince her, coercion would do. He knew he couldn't kill her—he'd be condemning himself to be truly alone if he did. As much as he believed he deserved that isolation, he knew it would kill him, too.

Descending to the Star Destroyer’s hangar, he felt Rey in the Force, stronger than before, and heard her voice. She managed to block their Force connection on occasion, but he was able to find her this time by interrupting a Resistance signal being sent to Endor's ocean moon.

_This is between us, Kylo Ren. Let’s end this now._

That worked for him. He was only here for her after all. Everything else was collateral, something he could use against her if he needed to. He was sure he could bring her onside, eventually, make her see their future as he did. A future where they could rule and wield the Force as a Dyad. Two halves brought together.

Kylo strode out of the turbolift and saw General Hux, arms behind his back, awaiting his arrival. The Supreme Leader gave the order. “I want a squadron of TIE Fighters out there patrolling! No ships leave or enter this pathetic rock!” He wouldn’t let Rey get away this time.

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux responded with the bow of his head. He grimaced as Kylo Ren walked by, his eyes cutting sideways to watch him leave. _What a waste of resources this was_ , he thought, _to chase down the scavenger when we should be out there ensuring the Resistance don’t gain any more strength_. But he knew it was only a short matter of time before his supporters in the First Order rallied against their would-be Supreme Leader. He would make sure of it.

Ever since Kylo Ren told him the girl had killed Supreme Leader Snoke, he knew he had to do something. He knew there was no way she could have accomplished such a feat alone. _She never would have spared Kylo Ren's life_ , he was certain. Ever since his performance at the Battle of Crait, Hux had been bringing First Order officers on side, stoking their already-present distrust of their new Supreme Leader—his impulsiveness, his arrogance, his inability to see beyond what was immediately in front of him. Hux knew a coup wouldn’t be an easy task, but he wouldn’t let Kylo Ren run the First Order into the ground. Not after everything he had put into it, not after everything they had gained. Hux was sure that with their Supreme Leader out of the way, the First Order could accomplish so much more. With Supreme Leader Armitage Hux, that is. Hux’s grimace shifted into a smirk.

* * *

Kylo Ren descended to Kef Bir alone.

He spotted her easily on the remains of the Death Star II. A shock of white against a sea of grey and blue. A light among the dark. After landing his TIE whisper smoothly on the walkway formed by the Imperial ship’s remains, Kylo emerged to face Rey. She was waiting, lightsaber at her side. As Kylo strode with determination towards her, she activated her saber. It was the same blue as Luke’s, as Anakin’s—but now it was double-ended.

 _That’s new_ , he thought with some surprise.

Assessing her double-ended saber glowing blue against her side, he opted to start with another tactic, his own lightsaber still on his belt.

“I don’t want to fight you, Rey.”

“You’ve been following me. What else could you want?” she responded, expression guarded.

“To give you one last chance. To join me. To give up this ridiculous endeavor and realize what we could be. Together.” His voice was sharp, determined.

“It’s too late, _Supreme Leader_ ,” she said, mockingly, “You already made your choice.”

Kylo grimaced, knowing that if she wouldn’t listen to reason then he would have to show her. He ignited his lightsaber, its disjointed crackling filled the air despite the raging waves beside them and the rain pouring down over them.

He made no motion to move as she lunged toward him.

Despite the addition to her saber, Kylo was able to meet her strikes with his own. He was almost passive through the whole thing, simply blocking her every move, not bothering to go on the offensive. Strike after strike, he parried until she her arms came down in an overhead strike. Turning his lightsaber horizontal to meet it, their lightsabers connected in a stalemate as they each pressed their weight into their weapons. The light cast their faces in contrasting red and blue light as their eyes met. Despite Kylo’s defensive tactic in the fight, he had the advantage of height, using gravity to press harder against her, overpowering her.

“You see how evenly matched we are, Rey. This is pointless.”

Rey grit her teeth and kicked him, landing a blow against the side of his far knee, forcing him to lose balance. As he fell to one knee, Rey swung with towards his chest. He blocked again, her saber bouncing off his with the force of it. Leaning into the momentum she let the other blade strike against his other side, but turning his body, he quickly rose to meet it with his saber.

She struck again, this time thrusting towards his torso. He blocked once more, pressing forward to force her saber down to the floor of the ship across her body. She was stuck.

“You know that the longer you spend fighting me, the less time your friends have to escape,” he said just as the TIE Fighters raced overhead, chasing down the Millennium Falcon.

“We wouldn’t be fighting if you’d made the right choice,” she snapped back at him, eyes glowing in the light of their sabers.

She elbowed him in his diaphragm, spinning her lightsaber in her hands as she crossed out of his range. He dodged her weapon as he lifted to his full height, letting out a frustrated breath out through his nose. Rain continued to pour down around them in heavy drops.

“You wanted to take my hand. I saw it,” Kylo spat through gritted teeth, his frustration bleeding into his voice.

Just as Rey made for another strike, they both felt it. There was a disturbance in the Force, a burst of Light energy. But something was wrong.

It was Leia.

The momentum of Rey’s lightsaber caught Kylo Ren’s side as they both stopped in shock. Her weapon slipped through her hand and he reached for his wounded side. He caught himself against the side of the ship, shaken. Not from the pain but from the Force. He hadn’t felt the light so strong in a long time. Without Snoke and the Dark filling his mind, his mother felt so much closer than before, so much brighter. Seeing the shock on his face, Rey carefully approached and lowered herself to his side. She was unsettled by what she’d felt from Leia and by Kylo's sudden change in demeanour. She had seen in a vulnerable state before, but not like this. He was completely taken aback. But seeing this shift in him, she felt a sense of determination come over her. She knew this could be her last chance.

“I did want to take your hand. Ben’s hand.”

He turned to her, but it was as if he was looking through her. His face contorted in pain and confusion, torn between his past and his future. Placing her hand on his own covering his wound, she looked him in the eyes.

“It’s not too late. Snoke is gone. You don’t have to suffer in the dark anymore.” But he wasn’t really listening, an internal battle still raged behind his eyes.

“Ben,” she said softly, but urgently, her hand pressing more firmly over his. He looked her in the eyes then, as if seeing her for the first time. His chin trembled.

“You don’t have to be alone.”

The waves beside them parted as the Millennium Falcon came into view. Rey slowly got to her feet. She knew she couldn't take him with her, not with the TIE Fighters still following and the First Order Star Destroyer still in the sky above them. They would inevitably follow to retrieve their incapacitated Supreme Leader. She didn’t know what else she could say and there wasn’t time to figure it out. She had to make sure her friends got off Kef Bir and she knew they wouldn’t leave without her.

Looking back toward him, she saw the conflict still in his eyes. But it was up to Kylo Ren to make his choice, she couldn't do it for him. And she desperately needed to get to Leia. She gave one last look to Kylo Ren and jumped from the edge of the ship to the Falcon’s ramp, grabbing onto the hydraulic pistons as it lifted away from the water. Thinking of Leia, she called to Kylo through the Force one more time.

_It’s not too late. But it might be soon._

As the Millennium Falcon sped across the ocean, several TIE Fighters followed. Kylo sat in a daze until something shifted in the Force again and he heard her.

_Ben._

But it wasn’t Rey. It was his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts!
> 
> Twitter: [@souppeh](https://twitter.com/souppeh)  
> Tumblr: [souppeh.tumblr.com](https://souppeh.tumblr.com)


	3. Rise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little worried about the pacing, hopefully thing's aren't just suddenly happening but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ we're half way there!

Kylo was in a state of shock as he sat against the side of the Death Star II, paralyzed with fear and guilt. For so long, he had repressed any connection to his family, any remaining sense of affection, concern, love. They were dead to him and he was dead to them. That’s how he wanted it. That’s how he thought it was supposed to be. _It was better that way_ , he had tried to convince himself. If that voice in his head was actually his own. It was hard to discern his own thoughts from the dark whispers of Snoke.

_Ben._

His mother’s voice was so different from the other voices that once occupied his mind. He didn’t know what to do. His thoughts were so loud as memories, fears, and hopes swept through his mind. The waves crashed beside him, rain fell steadily down over him, soaking him to the bone, and his side bared the result of Rey’s lightsaber strike. He felt none of it. He was numb.

_Ben. There isn’t much time._

His mother’s voice filled his mind. Tears welled in his eyes as the dam that held back his emotions broke, and everything burst forward like a tidal wave. Anger, rejection, loneliness, guilt, shame, longing, sadness, resignation.

_I’m sorry, Ben. And I forgive you._

The tears spilled down over his cheeks as terror filled him. Everything he had done, every mistake he made, every wrong turn he took was overwhelmed by light. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. He was filled with a sudden need to move, to do something, but he didn’t know what. He rose to his feet as conflict still waged in his mind. He was caught between longing for change but knowing he didn’t deserve it.

“You know what you have to do, kid.”

Whipping his head to the side, he saw Luke Skywalker. It wasn’t quite him exactly, but the apparition of his essence in the Force. Kylo shouldn’t have been surprised after what his uncle said to him during their last encounter on Crait. Luke had promised he’d see him around. Kylo cringed to think of how enraged he had been, but some of that resentment still remained. If Luke hadn’t confronted him that night so many years ago at the Jedi temple, maybe this wouldn’t have been his life. Maybe he could have resisted the call of the Dark. Kylo knew those "what if's" were in vain. He wasn’t strong enough to resist on his own. But Luke’s lack of faith and trust in him as a young man still stung.

As if sensing Kylo’s thoughts, Luke said “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. I’m sorry for my part in pushing you further away from us. It’s the one thing I regret most. But it’s not too late, Ben.”

Kylo continued to gaze at Luke, almost impassively as his words slowly broke through the chaos of his mind. His uncle looked behind Kylo, nodding to the distance as his image faded away. Turning his head to the other side, Ben saw his father standing before him—just as he had on Starkiller Base.

Han Solo stood in front of his son, looking at him imploringly. Kylo Ren knew it wasn’t really him, that it was just a memory, but it gutted him nonetheless. Seeing his father again left him bare, his emotions on display.

“It’s too late.” Kylo swallowed, trying to regain control of his emotions.

“No, it’s not. Come home. We miss you,” his father replied, his gravelly voice carried just as much emotion.

“I am being torn apart.” Tears continued to mark his cheeks and his chin trembled as he repeated his words from the moment he killed his father. “I want to be free of this pain,” he said desperately, trying to control the turmoil spilling into his voice. “I know what I have to do but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it.” He paused. “Will you help me?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“Yes, anything,” Han responded with determination, his eyes staring deeply into his son’s. He placed his hand against Kylo’s cheek.

Kylo held out his lightsaber, just as he did on Starkiller Base, and closed his eyes. It was now or never.

With Han standing in front of him and his hand resting against his face, he felt absolved. He opened his mind to the Light—to his mother’s light, to Rey’s, to Luke’s, to his own. It overwhelmed him, was painful even. But he needed to feel again, and it was a start.

“Thank you,” he said. Opening his eyes, he saw that his father was gone. Looking down at his lightsaber, he ignited it again. The sound of the split kyber crystal filled the air once more.

This time it glowed a bright white.

Shaken, but determined, Ben Solo retreated to his TIE whisper with his side aching, his healed lightsaber hanging from his belt, and a renewed sense of purpose.

* * *

On the Millennium Falcon, Finn ran towards Rey just as she entered the ship. She was shaking slightly, from both her fight and conversation with Kylo and from the shifts she was still feeling in the Force.

“Did you feel it?” he asked urgently.

Rey stared at him in startled confusion, until it dawned on her.

“You felt it? Leia?” she asked.

Finn’s eyes were wide. “Yeah,” he replied.

Rey had so many questions. But the ship suddenly rocked with enemy fire. Rey and Finn grabbed onto each other and the walls for support. There was no time for questions now.

“This will have to wait!” Rey called out as she ran for the cockpit and Finn ran below for the gun turret.

Chewie gave Rey a friendly trill in greeting and lumbered to the co-pilot’s seat, allowing her to take over behind the pilot’s controls. She pulled the Falcon higher into the air, leading the TIE Fighters away from their new Resistance allies below.

After evading enemy fire as they moved through the landscape of Kef Birr, another TIE Fighter sped into formation behind the others. Kylo’s TIE whisper. Disappointment filled Rey as she looked at her sensors. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but she had hope buried away that something might have finally changed in him. That he would stop fighting against them.

Just as soon as his Fighter came into view, it led the other ships away, returning to the Star Destroyer above them. Rey looked at her sensors in confused shock and Chewie gave out a confused growl. She heard Finn’s voice call out through their comms. “They’re leaving!” he shouted out in surprise. “The TIE Fighters are leaving!”

Rey wasn’t sure exactly what happened to Kylo Ren on that ship, but the small seed hope she had buried inside pushed closer to the surface.

* * *

Exiting his TIE Fighter in the Finalizer’s hangar, Ben quickly returned to his quarters. He knew it was inevitable that he would have to face General Hux and answer for his actions—for letting the Resistance escape, for wasting the First Order’s time and resources. But that wasn’t the most pressing matter right now. He needed regroup and get to his mother.

Shedding the heavy robes that defined him for so long, first as Snoke’s apprentice and now as Supreme Leader, Ben felt himself shedding years of sadness and hurt. He felt less weighed down by his past and was ready to face it. As much as it scared him and as unworthy as he felt, he was knew he needed to atone for all he had done. He quickly saw to his wound with bacta gel. It would be the second scar Rey had given him, but she had left her mark on him in more ways than one. _More than she could ever know_ , he thought. He barely let himself hope that she could know—one day, maybe.

Without the heavy cloak and tunic, Ben stalked almost lithely through the Star Destroyer. He was determined as he sought out the ship’s central control system, using the Force to knock unconscious any guards and officers he encountered on his way. If he was going to be successful, he needed to prevent them from informing on him or alerting General Hux. Once he arrived at his destination, he sabotaged the flagship, limiting its weapons function, dismantling the tracking systems, and diminishing the power supply. They would realize soon enough what he did, but he hoped to be long gone and beyond their reach by then.

On his way back to the hangar, he felt Leia reach out to him again. She had felt the shift him in, his guilt, his regret, his sadness and loneliness. She recognized that her son was back. While they both knew he had to do more to absolve the litany of sins and atrocities he had committed, she also knew this was her last chance to see her son. To help him. To save him. And now he knew where to find her and the Resistance.

But General Hux had also caught up with him.

“Stop him!” Hux yelled out desperately. The other First Order officers around them looked between their General and Supreme Leader with wide eyes. Though Ben’s simple attire—a thin black sweater and his usual black trousers—was startling, they were still intimidated by his stature and obvious power. None of them moved as he strode down the corridor without a second glance. But despite his reputation, a unit of Stormtroopers followed General Hux’s order and advanced on their Supreme Leader.

They aimed their blasters at him, but using the Force he quickly subdued them, easily disarming the Troopers as he threw them into the walls of the corridor and knocked them off their feet.

“All units fire on site!” Hux screamed into his comm as he retreated to the turbolift. Ben knew he could get rid of Hux once and for all if he followed, but he also knew his chances of escape would be worse if he did. And he had limited time as it was. Leia was waiting for him.

He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake and that the Resistance would accept him. That his mother would accept him. Entering the hangar, he was prepared. Dodging blaster fire, he used the Force to knock Stormtroopers out of his way, using his lightsaber to block and strike as necessary. Many of the Stormtroopers were too startled by the colour of his lightsaber to even attack.

He made it to his TIE whisper and quickly disabled the built-in tracking. This would be a one-way trip and he didn’t need any First Order fleets following him. Before they could lock down the hangar, he started up his ship, firing on the entire squadron of TIE Fighters remaining in the hangar as he exited the Star Destroyer. Once in hyperspace, Ben simultaneously felt a great sense of relief flow through him as a new stream of anxiety enter his body. His relief to be rid of the First Order, rid of the darkness that had corrupted his mind and soul. His anxiety to enter the unknown of the Resistance where he knew he would need to answer for his actions and would surely face judgement. Anxiety that it wasn’t enough—that he wasn’t enough.

While Ben Solo considered what was next for him in this new uncertain world he had entered, from the bridge of the Finalizer, Hux’s outrage faded into a snide grin. Kylo Ren proved himself to be a traitor and a deserter, making taking over the First Order for General Hux in the end. _A new Supreme Leader would rise in his place_ , Hux thought with pleasure, quickly calling together his highest-ranking officers. He had an announcement to make.

* * *

Returning to the Resistance base on Aja Kloss, Rey, Finn, and Poe went directly to see General Organa.

She was lying in a medbay bed aboard the Tantive IV, a ship used by Bail Organa as a mobile headquarters during his duties as the Senator of Alderaan and their new flagship on the planet. She smiled when she saw them enter, but she appeared weak. Rey knew how the events of D’Qar and Crait had taken a toll on her, both physically and emotionally. Barely surviving the attack on the star cruiser Raddus and losing her brother left their General weakened, but not without the same spirit she always carried herself with.

“I hope you didn’t hurry back on my account,” she said with her usual dry humor.

The three of them smiled despite the circumstances. Rey took Leia’s hand as she sat at her bedside.

“How are you, General?” Poe asked, concerned but trying to conduct himself as if everything were fine.

“I’ve been better, Poe.” She smiled slightly, trying to put them at ease, but they knew things didn’t look good for Leia.

“How was your mission?” she asked, back to business.

“I think something might have changed in Ky— in Ben,” Rey told her, suddenly unsure of what name to call him. Looking to her friends, she explained for the whole room, “He could have stopped us, could have killed us even, but he didn’t.”

“I felt it, too.” Leia looked so tired, but the spark in her eyes still remained. Her hope for her son hadn’t died out either, not completely. “I know some of you aren’t going to like this and I know it won’t be easy, but forgiveness never is. And neither is living with your mistakes.”

“What are you talking about, General?” Poe asked, suspicion and uncertainty in his voice.

“I feel it, I know Rey feels it. Finn, I’m sure, even feels it.” All faces turn to Finn, who avoids their eyes as a guilty look comes over his face. “Kylo Ren is gone and Ben Solo has returned.”

“Wait. He’s not coming here?” Poe asked incredulously. Leia simply looked at him. “I don’t believe this,” Poe continued, throwing his hands in the air in disbelief. “He may have let us escape, but Kylo Ren is a monster.”

“I’m not saying we forget everything he’s done, everything that’s happened. But you know that he makes a better ally than enemy,” Leia responds. Her voice is steady and certain. This isn’t a suggestion, but a command from their General.

Poe was still agitated by the idea. “How do you know that we can trust him? That this isn’t a trick?”

“How is he any different from our other First Order informants and spies? He’s the most powerful First Order defector we have. You may not trust him right now, Poe. But I need you to trust me, trust us.” Leia indicated to both Rey and Finn, who were noticeably quiet during the whole exchange. “I wouldn’t do this if I weren’t certain.”

“You guys are all on board for this? Think that this is a good idea?”

Finn placed his hand on Poe’s arm. He was hesitant but knew what he felt. “I can’t explain what I felt. But I know something has definitely changed.”

“I felt it and saw him with my own eyes, Poe,” Rey added.

Poe sighed in resignation. Knowing he had to put trust in them, he relented. “Alright. But I’m still taking precautions. When should I announce to the rest of the crew? He’s not exactly inconspicuous.”

“Soon. I’m sure he’ll be arriving shortly.” Leia’s voice became soft and her eyes slipped close. She was still so weak.

“We’ll leave you to rest, General,” Finn said, patting her arm. She nodded slightly in response, eyes fluttering open slightly.

“Thank you,” she said as she touched Finn’s hand in return.

Rey gave one last squeeze to Leia’s hand and they each left the medbay.

As the three of them exited, Rey pulled Finn aside. “When did you realize you were Force-sensitive?”

“Yeah, why didn’t you say anything before?” Poe asked. He tried to hide it, but he was a little hurt.

Finn looked away in guilt. “I didn’t realize that’s what it was at first. I thought it was just instincts, a gut feeling,” he said earnestly.

“It is in a way. The Force is everything. It’s in everything, you just have to harness it,” Rey explained, remembering what Luke had once taught her. She was excited to have another person to share this with, another person who would understand.

“Would you help me?” he asked, matching her excitement.

Rey’s face turned uncertain. She was without guidance herself. She’d proven herself time after time as a Force-user and was skilled with a Lightsaber, but she’d only just begun her own training. She could use the Force, but she didn’t fully understand it. And that still scared her sometimes. And without Luke’s guidance, she wasn’t sure about helping others to learn. She’d only just started working with the Resistance and now she was losing Leia, too. Everyone left her eventually.

As if sensing her uncertainty and spiraling thoughts—which maybe he was—Finn placed his hand on her arm. “We could help each other. We could help others, like Jannah and her Company. I know I’m no Luke Skywalker, but I’ve handled a lightsaber,” he said, trying to reassure her with a joke.

She smiled in response as the three of them left the Tantive to inform everyone about Ben Solo’s imminent arrival. “It’s a start.”


	4. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some angst and them some fluff, enjoy.

Flying a TIE Fighter into Resistance territory was not exactly the safest method of travel. Nor the smartest. But Ben's made many mistakes in his life. He just hoped this wasn't one of them.

He hoped Leia had warned the base of his arrival, that they were expecting him. Just in case, he made sure to send out a signal once he was out of range of the First Order. He had yet to get a response, but he desperately hoped it had been received. He was sure his arrival wouldn’t be well-received, but he hoped he was afforded enough time to see his mother.

As his anxiety built and his thoughts spiraled to the worst case scenario—that he wouldn’t get to see his mother, that he’d be too late or they wouldn’t let him—his comms signalled. The Resistance base acknowledged his arrival just as he was coming out of hyperspace. He sighed in relief as chime of the comm faded out. Landing his TIE whisper, he felt Leia in the Force again. But before he could even open the hatch and get to her, he was stopped by Resistance forces. A group of Resistance fighters greeted him, their blasters aimed directly at him. And there was Commander Poe Dameron right in front. Raising his hands in surrender, Ben opened the hatch of his ship and slowly stepped out. Looking at each of the Resistance officers sizing him up, he cleared his throat.

“So, who talks first?” he asked carefully.

Poe rolled his eyes in response. He took Ben’s lightsaber off his belt before holstering his blaster at his side. The other officers lowered their weapons and Ben slowly lowered his arms, trying not to show his relief.

“General Organa may trust you, but we’re still not taking any chances. One wrong move and that’s it,” he warned.

Ben nodded his head. He’d expected worse. He deserved worse, he thought.

As they marched through the Resistance base towards the Tantive IV, officers, technicians, pilots, everyone took notice. They observed Ben warily. Some masked their disdain through blank stares, others made sure he felt their glares. He wasn’t sure which unnerved him more. He avoided their gazes, looking straight ahead as much as possible. Nothing else mattered but getting to his mother.

He was escorted into the medbay of the Tantive IV, where his mother still rested.

“Is all of that really necessary, Poe?” Leia asked with mild exasperation, looking at the entourage that had entered the room.

“These are the precautions I said I would take, General.”

“Well, they’re unnecessary, Commander. Go do something useful,” Leia ordered, her General’s voice rang out despite her condition. “And leave us.”

Poe respected her wishes, giving one last warning look to Ben before leading his crew out of the medbay.

Ben was silent during the whole exchange, letting them set the terms of his arrival (and hopefully his stay), but once alone with his mother, he had even less to say. He simply looked at her and she looked at him. Tears welled in both their eyes. Being in the same room as her again, to see her again was surreal.

“Mom…” he choked out. He couldn’t untangle his thoughts, couldn’t sort them out in any meaningful way to form words.

“I know, Ben. I know,” she gave him a shaky smile, opening her hand to beckon him closer. He nearly collapsed at her side.

“No,” he forced out, his eyes closing. “I need to do this,” he insisted. Taking a deep breath, he centred himself. He needed to do this, if not for Leia then for himself.

“I am sorry. For everything. For letting doubt and fear turn me away from you and… Dad,” his voice broke mentioning his father. But he powered through, even as more tears traced down his face. “I’m sorry for what I put you both through. And I am so sorry,” he was nearly sobbing as he continued, “for what I did to him. For—” he broke off with a sob. After repressing all of the pain for so long, it finally broke through to the surface and he couldn’t control it.

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” he continued, shaking his head “I don’t deserve anyone’s forgiveness. But I want to earn it, if I can.” His voice had gained strength. He wanted to belong somewhere. He wanted what he never really got the chance to have.

Leia placed her hand against his face, just as Han had. Ben looked to her again, her own face flooded with tears.

“I am sorry, Ben. For not doing enough as your mother. For making you think you were alone or that we didn’t love you and support you. But I am so happy you’re here, son.” There was a smile on her face, despite the tears as her voice faded out. Ben hadn’t realized how much effort she was putting into their conversation, to hold her head up, to stay focused on him.

He was suddenly struck with absolute terror. “It isn’t good, is it?” he asked, knowing the answer, but not wanting it to be true.

Leia smiled sadly. “Everything will be fine, Ben. You will be fine, you won’t be alone.”

His face crumpled. He had only just gotten his mother back. And she was dying. “I can’t lose you again.”

Leia smiled at him again. “No one is ever really gone.”

Leia’s slipped into a light sleep as Doctor Kalonia entered the medbay.

“We should let Leia rest, for now,” she told him. She was one of the impassive observers, so he didn’t have to suffer a glower.

Nodding, Ben gave another look to his mother’s sleeping his face. He gently squeezed the hand he still held and wiped the tears from his face.

Not knowing where to go or what to do, he followed Doctor Kalonia out of the medbay. Stepping into the corridor, he spotted Rey.

She turned to him, looking at him as if she was seeing him for the first time—and in many ways she was, he thought. She smiled at him as easy as breathing, even as his own breath stopped in his lungs.

“Ben.” Her smile was pure light, blinding him.

He didn’t know what to do. Still raw from his reunion with his mother, still reeling from the events of the day— _has it only been a day?_ he thought—he just stood there. Rey seemed to understand. She took a step toward him and offered her hand.

A simple gesture, an offered hand was. He was grateful for the second chance to take it. So he did. With their hands grasped, he felt more grounded and settled since arriving on the Resistance base—since ever. His shoulders relaxed even as he felt the Force surge between them. They were connected in more ways than one and this connection calmed him. His mother was right.

He wasn’t alone.

Rey led him down the ship’s corridors to a simple bunk. He sat on the cot and stared blankly down at the floor. Rey sat beside him and took his hand again. He felt tears stain his cheeks once more. Rey simply held his hand and let him cry. He couldn’t contain it—any of it—anymore.

Some hours later, he woke up from a slumber he didn’t remember falling into. Rey gently nudged his shoulder. They were laying side by side, facing each other, both his hands clasped around one of hers.

“It’s time,” she whispered.

* * *

Leia’s closest friends were gathered in the medbay, saying their goodbyes. Poe and Finn stood side-by-side with their arms around each other, holding back tears. There was laughter as Leia broke the uncomfortably somber mood. She didn’t want them to mourn her before she was even gone.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Rey and Ben as they entered the room, still holding hands. Some eyebrows raised at the sight. Chewie let out a growl from the corner, looking a little agitated.

Ben looked uncomfortable, but contrite, nodding sadly at his father’s best friend. His eyes were still red and a little swollen from crying. Chewie let out another sad growl, huffing out a breath.

“Chewie,” Leia called out in a light warning. He called softly to her in apology.

Leia smiled at him before turning back to her son and held out her hand for him and Rey, welcoming them into the fold. Rey approached, pulling a hesitant Ben behind her. His shoulders hunched and he held his head low, trying to take up as little space in the small room as possible. He felt unsure of his place here but took his mother’s outstretched hand.

“Now that everyone is here, I have some orders left to give,” she said with some humor.

She looked at each of her commanding officers. “Ben is here now, and I expect you to treat him the same as any Resistance recruit. He is an ally in this war.” Then she looked at Poe. “As acting General, I need your word on this, Poe.” There was no room for negotiation in her voice.

Poe’s eyes tightened slightly, but he nodded. “I promise.”

“And you keep him in line, Finn,” she said, her eyes twinkling as she looked between the two of them. They smiled softly back at her. Leia always managed to balance respect and comfortable companionship with those she oversaw.

“I want to thank all of you for your dedication to this fight. For being the spark that has lit the fire of hope throughout the galaxy. I am grateful for everything you have done.”

Her voice was frail, weaker than the last time Ben saw her. He just held her hand, not knowing what else to do. She had carried the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders for so long.

She said her goodbyes to everyone as the room slowly emptied, eventually leaving only Ben, Rey, Poe, Finn, Rose, and Chewbacca. In the end, she passed peacefully, with those closest to her by her side and her son returned.

* * *

Unfortunately, they aren’t afforded much time for mourning. They still have a war to win after all.

Later that day Poe called a small meeting to strategize and develop a plan of action. In the bridge of the Tantive IV, Poe stood front and centre as the other officers filed in. Every role counted in this war, every contribution mattered.

Poe turned to Ben. “It’s time to tell us everything you know.” He spoke with authority, as a superior officer to a lowly recruit. He didn’t intend on being Ben’s friend.

“Wait a minute. How can we trust whatever he says?” Major Ematt interrupted, bringing on a slew of voices, some defending Leia’s decision, some dismissing Kylo Ren as an ally.

Rose was notably quiet during the whole exchange, her brows furrowed as she silently observed the arguments made around her.

“Why not?” Rose suddenly piped in, surprising some of them. “He’s here, he’s willing to put in the work. I say we let him.”

“After everything? After what happened to your sister, Paige? How can you forgive them so easily?” Kaydel asked incredulously.

Rose simply smiled. “I’m not forgiving anyone right now. But winning this war is about saving what we love,” she said, glancing unconsciously at Rey. Rey held her gaze with a small smile.

“Let’s make this clear. Leia asked us to trust her. Ky—Ben here has invaluable intel on the First Order. I’m not saying you be his friend. I’m not saying you have to like the guy, I certainly don’t. But we need his help in this.” Poe’s voice rang out with authoritative clarity. He looked to Ben then.

“Now, what do you know?”

Ben wanted to avoid any more debate over his loyalties. “With Hux in charge, the First Order will doubtlessly be targeting the Resistance more heavily.”

“He’ll be looking for our base. I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten what Admiral Holdo did the last time we all met,” Finn said.

“There are plans for a new fleet of advanced TIE fighters—Tie Echelon, assault shuttles,” Ben added.

Poe swore. “Those could do a lot of damage.” His brows furrowed as he began thinking through their next steps. “We need to hit them before they can even think of putting those plans into motion.”

Kaydel nodded intently. “We take the fight to them. We can’t let them find us this time. We’ve built our network and have enough resources and allies to face them. We’re not alone out here.”

Finn’s eyes lit up with excitement. “With the First Order focused on us, our allies can fight out there. Take them out from all sides,” he added.

“Stage a rebellion all through the galaxy, leave them no room for allied support. They certainly won’t be able to access that new fleet if we do this right,” Poe said, excitement entering his voice.

“We’ll need to get into the First Order base to get those plans, but we don’t have operatives on the Finalizer,” Kaydel said hurriedly. All heads turned to Ben. He looked up at the sudden silence, realizing they were all staring at him.

“I can get us in,” his said with certainty. “Hux is a true believer, he has the support of the stringent First Order members. We won’t likely find any sympathy on that ship. Especially not for me.”

Poe’s eyes moved quickly as he absorbed the information. “Okay. We need a team to infiltrate the Finalizer while the squadron distracts in the air and does some damage. At the same time, we get all of our Resistance allies out in the galaxy to stage their own insurgencies. We attack on all fronts. We destroy their plans, destroy the Finalizer, destroy the First Order.” Poe’s certainty instilled confidence in his officers.

Heads throughout the room nodded. “Ben, Rey, Finn, and Rose, you get us into the Finalizer. Black Squadron, we’ll be in the air. All remaining personnel hold down the base and keep in contact with our allies.”

They had a plan. Communications officers sent encoded messages through to their allies, their spy network, and to their most trusted First Order operatives as the rest of the Resistance Fighters exited the bridge.

Ben found himself in step with FN-2187. _Finn_ , he corrected himself, _his name is Finn_. The former Stormtrooper looked at Ben with a raised brow.

“Traitor,” he greeted him with the nod of his head.

Ben’s mouth twitched, the semblance of a smile. He was surprised to find himself put slightly at ease by Finn’s light teasing. “Traitor,” he nodded in return.

* * *

There wasn’t much downtime on the Resistance base. But with Leia’s passing and their message needing time to pass through the galaxy, they were afforded a night to recoup and prepare themselves.

Ben wasn’t sure where to go, what he should do, or what exactly was expected of him. But he was exhausted. He felt lucky to have Rey by his side through everything. She took care of him and he was beyond grateful. She led him back to the same bunk as before.

Laying down side by side, Ben looked at Rey’s face as he took her hand again. She returned his gaze, looking him in the eyes. She pulled herself forward, resting her head on his chest, their clasped hands between them. He wasn’t used to so much physical contact and was surprised by how comfortable he felt. How comforting it was. Despite everything—all of the conflict between them as they were on opposite sides of a galactic war—they felt undeniably comfortable with each other. They had a mutual understanding that went beyond words. Their Force-bond made that easy, but other feelings made that connection even more evident.

“I like the sweater,” she said, her other hand moving to stroke the soft material.

“Thanks,” his mouth twitching into a smile.

“I think I’d like it better off,” she said casually, still looking at the material. Rey felt no need to be subtle at this point. Their Force connection made being coy unnecessary. They both knew how they felt.

Ben’s smile grew in amusement, laugh lines appearing in his cheeks.

“What happened to wanting me to ‘put on a cowl or something?’” Rey’s thoughts flitted to the memory of Ben’s bare chest. Before, she’d felt so guilty for her attraction to him. It felt good to be able to think freely, acknowledge her feelings without hesitation.

Ever since Ben returned, Rey couldn’t bear to be apart from him. He looked so lost, so alone. She knew that feeling all too well. Laying in her cot with him felt like the most natural thing in the world, like they belonged together. Two halves of the same whole. She recalled what Ben had said to her once. A dyad he’d called them.

She looked up at him. “A few things have changed since then.”

“Yeah, a few.” His smile was still in place, but his eyes were downcast.

Rey placed her hand on his cheek. “Don’t get shy on me now,” she said, trying to reassure him.

“I still can’t believe this is real, any of it. That I deserve it. Or you.”

Rey stroked her fingers though his hair. It was as thick and soft as she thought it would be. “After all the years you’ve been suffering, I think you deserve this. You had dark voices infiltrating your mind for most of your life. It’s not easy coming back from that.”

“You make it feel easy.”

Their faces were inches apart and Rey’s gaze flicked to Ben’s mouth. _His very full mouth_ , she thought to herself. Looking back at his eyes, she saw the same longing look. Leaning toward him, she let her eyes close and her lips to touch his.

She’d never kissed anyone before. Growing up struggling to survive left little room for romance or sexual exploration. She was too busy scavenging and selling parts for a meal portion or two, waiting in vain for a family that didn’t want her, for a home she didn’t have.

Kissing Ben felt like coming home. With his arms around her, she felt safe, cared for, like she belonged somewhere and to someone. Like someone belonged to her. The pressure of lips against hers, the weight of his arms against her. It was beyond belief.

She’d never known what it was like to have a family, but she was sure it couldn’t compare to this. Through the Force, Rey could feel Ben’s mind following a similar train of thought. Pulling back slowly, she looked into his eyes and smiled once more.

Ben’s face split into a wide grin. He’d smiled for her a few times today, but never like that. The dark glowering demeanour Kylo Ren was gone. This was Ben Solo. She grinned back as she rested her head against his chest once more. As much as she wanted to keep kissing him, they would need to rest for the days ahead.

Rey may have gained a new ally and more, but the war wasn’t over yet.


	5. Resist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty much it! This has been really cathartic to write - especially as my first fic. Is this my perfect version of TRoS? No, not really. To be honest, this didn't come together perfectly, mostly because a lot of new ideas and details came to me midway through writing while I already had early chapters posted. But I'm happy with what I've done and enjoyed it more than the actual movie.

Ben didn’t expect sleep to come easy to him after the day he’d had. He’d expected tossing and turning, a rigid discomfort, nightmares—his usual nightly routine. He’d never had a good relationship with sleep. Insomnia prevented that; his mind was constantly at work, anxiously detailing his doubts and fears at all hours of the day and night. As much as he could push those feelings away during the day when he had tasks to distract himself, once that momentum stopped, those feelings seeped back into the front of his mind.

Rey was much the same. Used to surviving, comfort was not a concept she was well-acquainted with. Since joining the Resistance, she’d gotten better at calming the part of her mind that was constantly worrying about her safety and unconsciously scanning her surroundings for threats. She’d managed to develop mostly healthy and somewhat consistent sleeping habits. But some nights were harder than others.

This wasn’t one of those nights.

They were both surprised to find sleep so easy to slip into that night. Finding comfort in your former sworn enemy’s arms turned out to be a good way to stave off insomnia and other nocturnal anxieties. With a solid ten hours until their mission, they were well-rested for the day ahead.

Waking that morning, Rey realized they hadn’t moved at all through the night. Emotional and physical exhaustion clearly pulled them into a deep slumber. Opening her eyes, Rey saw Ben was already awake.

“Are you ready?” she whispered.

His gaze didn’t falter from her eyes. “Finally, yes.”

Today would be the end of the First Order. Resistance allies throughout the galaxy heard their call and were ready to take up arms against the regime that had taken hold of the galaxy through force, fear, and fascism.

Early that morning, preparations were being made for the mission ahead. X-Wings were fuelled, systems checked, and plans programmed. The ground team staying on Ajan Kloss had their communications channels re-encrypted, secured and ready for any messages from their allies to keep track of the progress of the galaxy-wide coup. They also had evacuation shuttles at the ready in case things went south. Either way, the Resistance would not go down without a fight or a contingency plan.

They were finally ready to end the galactic war and free the galaxy.

After a brief breakfast in the canteen, with some Resistance fighters shovelling food down and others anxiously pushing it around their trays, the infiltration and distraction teams reviewed their plan of attack.

“Ben will lead in his Whisper,” Poe said pointing to him. “Once we’re safely out of range of the base, he flips the tracking back on and we get the First Order’s location. Black Squadron leads phase two. He gets you guys in the hangar, while the squadron distracts the First Order.”

Finn nods. “Once we get in, we head directly to the data centre and destroy everything.” His mouth turns up into a smirk. “And leave a few surprises on our way out.”

There was a nervous determination in the air as they all nodded in agreement to the plan. Poe turned to Ben once more and reached into his pack.

“I suppose you’ll be needing this.” He held out Ben’s lightsaber.

Ben looked between Poe and his lightsaber for a moment. Poe raised his eyebrows and thrust it out to him. Taking the lightsaber from his new general, Ben nodded gratefully at him. Poe returned the gesture, his gaze determined.

“We’ve put our trust in you. Don’t let us down.” Poe patted Ben on the shoulder as he passed, whether as a sign of camaraderie or a warning, Ben wasn’t sure.

Last minute preparations were ongoing as technicians and ground officers rushed around, gathering supplies, organizing troops, and offering good luck.

Before they knew it, Ben and Rey were headed to their ships. They parted ways in front of the Millennium Falcon. The ship loomed over the base. Ben couldn’t take his eyes off it. Looking up at his father’s ship, he smiled sadly as memories of his family came forward unbidden. He felt Rey’s hand on his arm, pulling his thoughts away from his childhood and his mistakes.

Looking at her, Ben’s past regrets faded away. Her hand slipped down his arm to his hand. They held each other’s gaze. Words weren’t necessary for them. They both smiled and, squeezing each other’s hands, they parted.

Sitting in his TIE whisper again, Ben took a deep breath and centred himself, reaching back into his Jedi training. He started up his TIE Whisper and tuned into the Resistance communications channel, thankful that with the right alterations his TIE fighter was compatible with their systems. He scoffed to himself. They were made by the same weapons manufacturers, of course the tech was similar. Being the leader for this phase of the plan, Ben led the teams through the call checks.

“This is Solo, all wings report.” He signalled through the comms as he did his final systems checks.

With everyone comming in with their call signs and confirmation, he led them off Ajan Kloss and into the Expansion Region, far enough away from the Resistance base to avoid the First Order potentially using Ben’s TIE Whisper to trace the Resistance’s location. He was grateful they trusted him enough to let him play such a pivotal role. He owed it to them and himself.

Once in the Expansion Region, Ben turned on his TIE Whisper’s internal tracking. It took only a moment for the system to connect, but it felt like forever to Ben, his heart beating steadily in his chest. He let out all of his breath as he read his screens and sent the coordinates to the Millennium Falcon and Black Squadron. The First Order flagship was in the Core, outside of Coruscant. It didn’t take long for Ben to figure out why. Much of the Corse was destroyed and emptied during the Hosnian Cataclysm. An ideal place to build and hide a new fleet.

“Coordinates have been sent. The First Order are in the Core, outside Coruscant,” Ben commed to his new allies, handing the lead to Poe’s Black Squadron.

“Copy that, Solo. Black Squadron, on my lead.”

They exited hyperspace several parsecs away from the Finalizer, ensuring they’re out of range of any First Order scans. Getting into the hangar wouldn’t be easy, but with Poe’s X-Wings acting as a distraction, they had a chance.

Poe led them ahead of the Falcon and Ben’s Whisper. Comming his squadron, he did what all great leaders do and inspired them to fight and fight hard. “Alright, let’s hit ‘em where it hurts. This might be the last chance we have to take them down. We cripple the Star Destroyer, we take down their base of operations. The First Order ends here.”

“Roger that, General,” his squadron responded in turn. The new title was a distinct reminder of Leia’s absence, but also his new responsibilities. He knew he couldn’t afford to be reckless anymore.

The X-Wings zeroed in on the Finalizer, descending in formation. As the First Order’s canons turned to target their ships, the squadron zigzagged their way into close range before the canons could fire. It wasn’t long before the TIE Fighters intercepted them, able to keep up with their speed and agility around the flagship.

Jess and Snap managed to take out a canon on the starboard side before the TIE Fighters could catch up to them.

“Starboard cannon down,” Jess called.

“Copy, Jess. Let’s keep it going!” Poe responded. Snap and Jess continued onto the next cannon, while Niv Lek and Yolo Ziff took the other side.

Their celebrations were short-lived as a TIE fighter appeared behind Ziff and fired on him.

“Watch your tail, Ziff!” Poe calls over the comm. He managed to avoid the shots, but not before another TIE fighter appeared on his side. The X-Wing exploded and fell toward the Finalizer, crashing into it.

“Damn it,” Poe muttered in frustration. BB-8 beeped with worry.

Poe’s frustration got the best of him for a moment as he changed course and charged down the two TIE Fighters. Before he could get within range to fire on them, two more pulled up behind him. Too close. They fired on him and nearly took out BB-8, who beeped in alarm.

“Sorry, buddy!”

Pulling out ahead of the TIE Fighters and trying to shake them off, Poe realized his mistake. In his haste to chase those TIEs, Lek is left with no wingman, open to potential enemy fire.

“Fuck,” Poe swore again. He let himself get caught up in the moment again, not thinking through the implications of his actions. Making another sudden course change, he swerved his ship around firing on the TIE Fighters behind him. Taking them out, he provided cover for Lek.

He wouldn’t let his squad down. He wouldn’t let Leia down.

* * *

On the bridge of the Finalizer, Supreme Leader Hux looked at the scene in front of him and sneered.

“Take out every single one of those X-Wings,” he commanded. A second fleet of First Order TIE Fighters emerged from the hangar of the ship at his command. With the bridge personnel distracted by the Resistance X-Wings, it was a few minutes before anyone noticed a lone TIE Whisper leading a light freighter ship into the star destroyer’s hangar.

With enough fire power in the air, Ben quickly led the Falcon to the Finalizer’s hangar. The X-Wings would have to continue to hold-off the Fighters for a little longer. He still had the access codes—the First Order had yet to revoke his ship’s access—and so they got in without much trouble, the other TIE Fighters distracted by the other Resistance ships.

Inside the hangar was another story. Technicians and Stormtroopers alike were surprised by their sudden intrusion but wasted little time before firing on them. But the Resistance was ready for them. Ben emerged from his TIE Whisper and used the Force to throw the immediate surrounding Troopers away from his ship. Pulling out his saber, he blocked the incoming blaster fire as he ran for the opening of the Falcon.

The Falcon’s ramp landed, with Finn, Rey, Rose, and Chewie firing their blasters as they emerged. Seeing some of the Troopers running for the emergency call button that would alert the bridge and bring more Stormtroopers into their path, Ben threw his saber. It struck the panel dead-centre, disabling their communications and controls of the hangar. The startled Trooper jumped back as sparks flew. Ben pulled it back into his grip with the Force, striking the Trooper in the head with the hilt on the way.

Suddenly, Hux’s voice rang out over the comms.

“Did you think we weren’t expecting you, Kylo Ren? That you could just waltz into the First Order’s flagship without us knowing?”

The Resistance fighters were already heading for the doors when Rose, Finn, and Chewie were cut off from Rey and Ben.

“Go! Run!” Finn shouted after them, urging them to finish the mission as he took a blast to the arm. But it was too late, more Stormtroopers entered, blocking their only way into the ship. Tens more come marching through, surrounding them on all sides, corralling them into the middle of the room.

With their blasters aimed at them from all sides, five Troopers stepped forward with manacles to restrain the Resistance infiltrators. Kicking them each to their knees, their arms were bound, and their weapons confiscated. Chewie growled in irritation.

Entering behind the onslaught of Stormtroopers was Supreme Leader Hux. With his new role and title came a new First Order uniform. He had traded in his grey First Order officer’s uniform for a much more regal set of black robes.

“Who would have guessed the great _Kylo Ren_ would have fallen so far as to join the Resistance,” he said with a mocking and dramatic lilt in his voice. “And that they would be stupid enough to accept you,” he added with a humourless laugh, his teeth bared.

“As if you deserve it. You don’t deserve any of it. You never did!” Hux was becoming unhinged, his slicked red hair falling out of place, his face contorted with absolute rage.

Despite being put-off by Hux’s outburst, Rey, Finn, Rose, and Chewie glared at the Supreme Leader. But Ben was resolutely ignoring him, his face impassive. His words hit too close to home, but he didn’t want Hux to see that. He didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

“And now I’ve bested you, _Kylo Ren_ ,” he snarled. “You’ve lost, once and for all.” His hatred burned in his eyes.

“I’ve waited a long time for this. Troopers! Take aim!”

The Stormtroopers didn’t hesitate. Their arms snapped up, blasters aimed at the five Resistance fighters. They tensed, pulling in vain against their bonds. Rey searched around her for inspiration, for a weapon, for something. She couldn’t find anything. And with her arms bound behind her, it was harder to call the Force.

But she didn’t need to. Before Hux could deliver the final order, a number of Stormtroopers turned and aimed their blasters on their allies. The five of them didn’t have time to react before the manacles around their wrists were suddenly released and the Troopers behind them returned their weapons. They didn’t hesitate at this sudden turn of events. The Resistance fighters took cover behind a stack of crates, the five arresting Troopers following. Looking at the Troopers with confused and hesitant expressions, they demanded answers.

“Who are you and why are you helping us?” Finn asked quickly.

The Troopers removed their helmets. It was still startling to Rey and Rose to see people underneath the masks. It was so easy to dehumanize them.

“I’m RG-3282. You’re FN-2187, aren’t you?” asked one. She had sharp features and cropped hair.

Finn’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I go by Finn now,” he replied.

“We heard about what you did on Jakku. That you disobeyed orders and chose not to fight. And that you faced off with Phasma on the Supremacy. Defeated her. We planned this rebellion because of you,” she explained, excitement lighting her eyes.

Finn’s eyes widened in return. “How many of you are there?”

“Hundreds,” she replied. Finn continued to look at her in shocked confusion. He couldn’t believe he had that kind of influence.

The moment was interrupted by shots careening over their head. Too close. They all flinched at the blast, hunkering lower behind their cover.

“We need to get out of this hangar and continue the mission!” Rose called over the sound of blaster fire and explosions.

Peering over the edge, all Rey could see was a sea of white as Stormtroopers fired on each other. But there was no clear path out. Then she spotted a shock of red hair in the distance. Hux was hiding behind his remaining loyal Stormtroopers, scanning the hangar, clearly searching for his prisoners.

“Find them!” he yelled, furious by the turn of events. Before he could call out any more orders, a wave of Stormtroopers with scrawled Resistance symbols on their arms descended on him, hauling him away. Their new Stormtrooper allies.

“No! You must listen to me! I am your Supreme Leader!” Rey lost sight of him as Stormtroopers blocked her view. She heard him yelling until suddenly, his yells stopped.

The Troopers moved on, leaving Supreme Leader Armitage Hux’s body lying on the hangar floor.

Looking past him, Rey saw that the doors the Troopers emerged from had been left ajar. If they could clear a path, they could make it into the heart of the ship and carry out the rest of their plan.

“We have to push through to get to the doors,” she said to her friends. The five turned Troopers nodded.

“We’ll cover you. Just tell us where you’re headed.”

“What about Hux?” asked Finn.

“We don’t have to worry about him anymore,” she replied.

As they emerged from their hiding spot, they soon realized their allied Stormtroopers outnumbered the First Order Troopers, providing a path to escape the battle.

Racing out of the hangar, Ben led them to the ship’s data centre. Their five new Stormtrooper allies provided cover, heading off any resistance to their infiltration.

Coming to intersection in the corridors, Finn held up a hand to stop everyone in their tracks. He inched around the corner where he spotted a hall filled with First Order officers and Stormtroopers. They were running in and out of control rooms and offices, trying to manage the situation. Too many for them all to take on easily in the confined space.

“There’s too many of them,” Finn whispered, turning back to his friends.

Rey and Ben shared a glance and nodded at one another.

They turned the corner and immediately held their hands out, using the Force to stop any movement from the officers and Troopers approaching. Just as soon as they stopped in their tracks, they collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Quickly racing down the hall, they made it to the dead centre of the star destroyer where the data centre was located. Destroying it would not only destroy any chances for the First Order to build their fleet, but any chances for the First Order to rebuild at all.

Finn and Rose pulled out the pyro denton explosives from their packs as Ben accessed the data centre terminal. Clearly, the First Order was too confident in its security, not having changed any of their security protocols. He deleted all traces of the First Order’s schematics, plans, research, everything. Being the data centre for the entire First Order, this meant no other First Order base could access the information.

Rey stood outside the doors with the Troopers, keeping watch for any incoming First Order Troopers. Their allies looked on with curiosity at what they were doing.

“We’re taking out the entire ship. You need to comm your people, tell them to get off right now,” Rey told them urgently. Their eyes widened as they nodded. RG-3282 held her wrist to her mouth, coming to her allied Troopers to commandeer the escape pods.

“Bombs are all set,” Rose said, arming the last denton. “We don’t have much time to get out.”

"I’m done here,” Ben responded. “Let’s go.”

As they raced back down the corridors of the ship, Rose and Finn tossed more bombs, down the halls, guaranteeing thorough destruction throughout the entire ship. They weren’t taking any chances.

Running back to the hangar, the ship was wracked with explosions, slowing them down. More and more Troopers descended on them from the corridors of the ship. Dodging blaster fire and firing behind them, they made it to the hangar doors.

“Ben!” Rey yelled as a First Order Trooper appeared from behind him. Without even turning, he swung his arm back and fired, striking the Stormtrooper dead-centre. Rey raised her eyebrows and he simply shrugged in response.

 _Like father, like son_ , she thought. But they didn’t have time for this. They raced into the hangar, where few First Order Stormtroopers remained. Dodging and firing their way through the open room, they charged onto the Falcon.

Rey led Ben into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie was already sitting in the co-pilot’s chair. Rey took her seat and began flicking switches and pressing buttons, preparing their ship to exit as soon as possible.

As Ben entered the cockpit for the first time in nearly twenty years, he spotted them. His father’s dice hanging from the top controls. He gently lifted them with the tips his fingers as long-forgotten childhood memories suddenly revealed themselves in his mind. The jolt of the ship taking off and exiting the hangar pulled him back to the present.

As they exited the orbit of the Finalizer, Rey immediately commed Poe's squadron.

"Poe, are you there?"

"Boy, am I glad to hear from you guys."

Rey sighed in relief.

"Take a look outside," he added.

Turning the Millennium Falcon, Rey, Ben and Chewie looked on as the First Order’s exploded. They'd done it.

Rose ran into the cockpit with a Holopad and exciting news.

Around the galaxy, the Resistance fighters stood against the First Order, triumphant.


	6. Restoration

While the Resistance and their allies were successful, their insurgences weren’t without sacrifices and causalities. They mourned their dead, treated their wounded, and celebrated their victories.

But there was work left to be done.

No one knew that better than Ben Solo. While he’d proven himself in the final battle, his past actions as a pawn for Snoke and as Supreme Leader for the First Order outweighed the good. He was responsible for the deaths of countless innocent lives, but he was working toward earning his place in this new, free galaxy.

He was working toward earning his place with Rey.

Ben wanted to do better. He wanted to be better, like those stepping up to the challenge of rebuilding, setting an example across the galaxy. But politics wasn’t for him. That kind of public life just wouldn’t suit him, not with his reputation. He hadn’t earned that right yet. Instead, Ben and Rey take on a role in the background for once, lending a helping hand wherever it was needed.

When Rey informed Ben of where the New Republic would be resettling, a small smile pulled at the corner of his lips.

“I was born on Chandrila.”

“Really?”

He nodded, leaning back in his seat on the Falcon. “In Hanna City. On the day the Galactic Concordance was signed between the New Republic and the Galactic Empire.”

Ben Solo was returning to his place of birth at the end of another war. Rey thought the circularity of it was fitting, if bittersweet after everything that had passed since then.

“This will be a fitting homecoming then,” she said.

When they arrive in Hana City, Rey is relieved to see so much colour. The blue of the ocean, the green of the fields and hills, the vibrancy of the city. Ben was relieved to feel like he could finally belong somewhere.

The New Republic was re-established in Hana City where the Senate was rebuilt and with it, democracy was reinstated. From all over the galaxy, representatives stepped forward to form a new, peaceful galactical accord. Resistance fighters like Poe Dameron, Maz Kanata, and Lando Calrissian were just a few of many who volunteered to be a part of this new democracy, inspired by the leadership of their former general, senator, and princess Leia Organa.

Finn regrouped with Jannah to develop a rehabilitation program for former Stormtroopers who were brainwashed by the First Order since childhood. Helping those who like themselves were made into fodder for a galactic war. Rey and Ben offered guidance to Finn, training him to harness the Force, inspiring him in turn to pass these teachings on to others in his Stormtrooper rehab program. There were no Jedi or Sith, just the energy of everything, positive and negative, light and dark—a balance.

Work continued, improvements were made, change was enacted.

Rey and Ben settled just outside of Hana City, near enough to be involved, see their friends, play a part in the new galaxy, but isolated enough to enjoy some peace and quiet. They didn’t need to be at the centre of the Republic. They’d fought their battles and done their part.

Finding herself in the new capital of the Republic, a new city and a new start in the wake of a galactic war, Rey was surprised to feel more excited than anxious or overwhelmed. She wasn’t facing life or death choices anymore. Instead, she had the luxury of kissing Ben whenever she wanted, falling asleep next to him and waking up with him every day.

Looking at Ben, always by her side being more gentle, understanding, and tall than anyone had the right to, she realized something. She might not have a home or have a family, but she made her own. She had found her family. She wasn’t a nobody anymore. She was just Rey.

And that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> I actually finished a thing, wow. I'm actually really proud of myself, so this is a nice feeling.  
> If you for some reason read all six chapters of my tiny little fix-it attempt, thank you! Thank you all who left comments and kudos along the way, I really appreciate it.


End file.
